Education department to track attendance both physically and digitally
TNR News Network
Shimla: The Himachal Pradesh Education Department has issued strict new guidelines to ensure punctuality and transparency in government schools. In a move aimed at tightening discipline, all government school teachers across the state are now required to mark their attendance on the Swift Chat Portal, a digital platform introduced for real-time monitoring.
According to a circular sent to all District Deputy Directors, Principals of Government Senior Secondary Schools, Headmasters of High Schools, Block Elementary Education Officers (BEEOs) and Centre Head Teachers (CHTs), attendance will now be tracked both physically and digitally.
Fixed timings for marking attendance
The department has established separate reporting times for summer and winter-closing schools. In summer-closing schools, all teaching and non-teaching staff must mark their attendance by 9.30 am. In winter-closing schools, the deadline is 10.30 am.
These entries must be made daily through the Swift Chat Portal and schools must also maintain a manual attendance record at the institutional level.
Non-compliance will be taken seriously
Education Director Ashish Kohli emphasised that repeated delays in attendance marking have been observed, affecting both school discipline and operations. The department has warned that any official or employee failing to comply with the new system will be held accountable and disciplinary action may follow.
“Timely attendance is crucial not only for maintaining discipline in educational institutions but also for ensuring that students’ academic time is fully protected,” said Kohli. He further stated that the digital system ensures transparency and allows for online monitoring alongside traditional records.
This new attendance rule is part of a broader push by the Education Department to modernise school administration and improve the overall efficiency of government schools. By making attendance digital and time-bound, the department hopes to reduce absenteeism, improve staff accountability and enhance the learning environment for students.
School heads have been instructed to ensure immediate implementation of the directive. Regular audits and checks are expected to follow in the coming weeks to ensure compliance across all districts.
